Systems and methods for playing a video clip of an encoded video file

Abstract

Systems and processes are disclosed for providing a video output of a subset of an encoded video file. In one example, a process includes accessing an encoded video file that includes an initial frame and scanning the encoded video file for a start frame of a video clip. This process can also include decoding the video clip of the encoded video file to generate decoded video data corresponding to the video clip and populating memory with the decoded video data. Further, the process can include setting a playout pointer that indicates a location in the memory populated with the decoded video data and corresponding to the start frame of the video clip. In addition, the process can include causing a video player to read, beginning at the playout pointer, from the decoded video data in the memory so as to output, via an output port of the video playout card, a video stream of the video clip.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 accessing an encoded video file that includes an initial frame; 
 scanning the encoded video file for a start frame of a video clip, wherein the start frame is after the initial frame; 
 decoding the video clip of the encoded video file to generate decoded video data corresponding to the video clip, wherein the decoding the video clip includes decoding a nearest reference frame preceding the start frame and decoding intervening frames through the start frame; 
 populating memory with the decoded video data; 
 setting a playout pointer that indicates a location in the memory populated with the decoded video data and corresponding to the start frame of the video clip; and 
 causing a video player to read, beginning at the playout pointer, from the decoded video data in the memory so as to output, via an output port of a video playout card, a video stream of the video clip. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein decoded video data corresponding to the reference frame and intervening frames is populated in the memory. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accessing a second encoded video file that includes a second initial frame; 
 scanning the second encoded video file for a second start frame of a second video clip; 
 decoding the second video clip of the second encoded video file to generate second decoded video data corresponding to the second video clip; 
 populating memory with the second decoded video data; 
 setting a second playout pointer that indicates a second location in the memory populated with the second decoded video data and corresponding to the second start frame of the second video clip; and 
 responsive to the video player outputting the video stream of the first-named video clip, causing the video player to read, beginning at the second playout pointer, from the second decoded video data in the memory such that the video stream output from the video player via the output port switches from being in accordance with the first-named decoded data to being in accordance with the second decoded data. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first-named decoded video data is populated in a first memory and the second decoded video data is populated in a second memory. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the decoding the second video clip and the populating the memory with the second decoded data are carried out while the video player outputs the video stream according to the first-named decoded data. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the video stream output from the video player via the output port switches from being in accordance with the first-named decoded data, in one frame, to being in accordance with the second decoded data, in a frame subsequent to the one frame. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising scanning the first-named encoded video file for an end frame of the first-named video clip, wherein the first-named decoded video data includes the first-named start frame and the end frame, and wherein the video stream output from the video player via the output port switches such that, the end frame of video according to the first-named decoded data immediately precedes the start frame of the second decoded data. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising providing the video stream from the output port to a single input port of a production switcher. 
     
     
       9. A method for operating a news production system having a video playout module, the method comprising:
 the video playout module accessing an encoded video file that includes an initial frame; 
 the video playout module receiving data identifying a start frame of a video clip, wherein the start frame is after the initial frame; 
 the video playout module scanning the encoded video file for the start frame of the video clip; 
 the video playout module decoding the video clip of the encoded video file to generate decoded video data corresponding to the video clip, wherein the decoding the video clip includes decoding a nearest reference frame preceding the start frame and decoding intervening frames through the start frame; 
 the video playout module populating memory with the decoded video data; 
 the video playout module setting a playout pointer that indicates a location in the memory populated with the decoded video data and corresponding to the start frame of the video clip; and 
 the video playout module causing a video player to read, beginning at the playout pointer, from the decoded video data in the memory so as to output, via an output port of a video playout card, a video stream of the video clip. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the video playout module accessing a second encoded video file that includes a second initial frame; 
 the video playout module scanning the second encoded video file for a second start frame of a second video clip; 
 the video playout module decoding the second video clip of the second encoded video file to generate second decoded video data corresponding to the second video clip; 
 the video playout module populating memory with the second decoded video data; 
 the video playout module setting a second playout pointer that indicates a second location in the memory populated with the second decoded video data and corresponding to the second start frame of the second video clip; and 
 responsive to the video player outputting the video stream of the first-named video clip, the video playout module causing the video player to read, beginning at the second playout pointer, from the second decoded video data in the memory such that the video stream output from the video player via the output port switches from being in accordance with the first-named decoded data to being in accordance with the second decoded data. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the video playout module receiving second data identifying the second start frame, which is after the second initial frame. 
     
     
       12. A system comprising:
 a software video player; 
 a video playout card; and 
 a control system configured to provide instructions to the software video player to:
 retrieve an encoded video file defined, in part, by an initial frame; 
 scan the encoded video file for a start frame of a video clip, wherein start frame is after the initial frame; 
 decode the video clip of the encoded video file to generate decoded video data corresponding to the video clip, wherein the instructions to decode the video clip include instructions to decode a nearest reference frame preceding the start frame and to decode intervening frames through the start frame; 
 store the decoded video data in memory; and 
 set a playout pointer that indicates a location in the memory that includes the decoded video data and corresponds to the start frame of the video clip; 
 
 wherein the control system is also configured to provide instructions to the video playout card to cause the video playout card to read the decoded video data from the memory, beginning at the playout pointer, so as to output a video stream via an output port of the video playout card. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control system is further configured to provide instructions to the software player to:
 track portions of the memory read by the video playout card; and 
 responsive to the portions of the memory being read by the video playout card, store subsequently generated decoded data in the portions of the memory read by the video playout card. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a second software video player, wherein the control system is further configured to provide instructions to the second software video player to:
 access a second encoded video file that includes a second initial frame; 
 scan the second encoded video file for a second start frame of a second video clip; 
 decode the second video clip of the second encoded video file to generate second decoded video data corresponding to the second video clip; 
 store the second decoded video data in memory; and 
 set a second playout pointer that indicates a second location in the memory that includes the second decoded video data and corresponds to the second start frame of the second video clip, 
 and wherein the control system is further configured to provide instructions to the video playout card, responsive to the video playout card outputting the video stream of the first-named video clip, to cause the video playout card to read, beginning at the second playout pointer, from the second decoded video data in the memory such that the video stream output from the video playout card via the output port switches from being in accordance with the first-named decoded data to being in accordance with the second decoded data. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first-named and second software video players are configured to operate in parallel.